Florida House of Representatives - 1998 HR 9365 By Representative Roberts-Burke 1 House Resolution 2 A resolution honoring Evander Holyfield, 3 Heavyweight Champion of the World. 4 5 WHEREAS, Evander Holyfield was born on October 19, 6 1962, in Atmore, Alabama, the youngest of nine children born 7 to Annie Laura Holyfield and Isom Coley, and 8 WHEREAS, at age four, Evander and his family moved to 9 Atlanta, Georgia, and 10 WHEREAS, at age eight, Evander Holyfield began his 11 boxing career at the Warren Boys Club in southeast Atlanta, 12 and 13 WHEREAS, it was in Atlanta that Carter Morgan, his late 14 coach, told eight-year-old Evander Holyfield that he could be 15 the heavyweight champion of the world, and 16 WHEREAS, that interaction and Evander's vision, strong 17 desire, excellent work ethic, and steadfast perseverance began 18 the illustrious career of Evander Holyfield and would 19 eventually make him the champion he is today, and 20 WHEREAS, at eight years of age Evander won the Boys 21 Club Boxing Tournament, and 22 WHEREAS, at age 11 he competed in his first Junior 23 Olympics, and at ages 12 through 15 he won the tournament 24 regionally, and 25 WHEREAS, in 1979, at age 16, Evander's weight had 26 increased to 139 pounds, placing him in the Junior 27 Welterweight division, and he became the Southeastern Regional 28 Champion, winning both the tournament and the Best Boxer 29 Award, and 30 WHEREAS, Evander continued to compete and advanced 31 through the various weight classes and by age 17 was fighting 1 CODING:Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. Florida House of Representatives - 1998 HR 9365 235-234-98 1 in the Welterweight division, by age 18 in the Junior 2 Middleweight division, and then the Middleweight division, and 3 WHEREAS, at age 19 Evander was competing in the Light 4 Heavyweight division, was the Sportsfest Boxing Champion, and 5 was ranked the number one boxer in his class in the United 6 States, and 7 WHEREAS, it was at this time that he represented the 8 United States in the Pan American Games in Caracas, Venezuela, 9 winning a Silver Medal, and 10 WHEREAS, the following year he was the National Golden 11 Gloves Champion, representing the United States in the 1984 12 Olympics in Los Angeles and winning a Bronze Medal, and 13 WHEREAS, Evander Holyfield made his professional boxing 14 debut in November 1984, defeating Lionel Bryams, and 15 WHEREAS, in 1986 he won his first Cruiserweight title 16 against Dwight M. Qawi, a WBA Junior Heavyweight, becoming the 17 first boxer of the 1984 Olympics to win a championship title, 18 and 19 WHEREAS, in 1987 he won the IBF Cruiserweight title 20 against Ricky Parkey, and 21 WHEREAS, in 1988 he won the WBC Cruiserweight title 22 against Carlos DeLeon, making Evander the only boxer in 23 history to become an undefeated, undisputed Cruiserweight 24 Champion, and 25 WHEREAS, to this day, all Cruiserweight championship 26 belts bear Evander Holyfield's picture, as a lasting tribute 27 to his legacy, and 28 WHEREAS, unwilling to become complacent as a result of 29 his Cruiserweight success, Evander continued advancing in his 30 goal to become the World Heavyweight Champion, and 31 2 CODING:Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. Florida House of Representatives - 1998 HR 9365 235-234-98 1 WHEREAS, in less than a year, in 1989, Evander 2 Holyfield became the WBC Continental Heavyweight Champion 3 defeating Michael Dokes, and 4 WHEREAS, a year later, on October 25, 1990, Evander 5 Holyfield fulfilled his dream of 20 years when he became the 6 undisputed Heavyweight Champion of the World by defeating 7 Buster Douglas, thus being named the IBF, WBA, and WBC 8 Champion, and 9 WHEREAS, Evander Holyfield remained the undisputed 10 Heavyweight Champion of the World until 1992, when he lost his 11 title to Riddick Bowe, and 12 WHEREAS, Evander regained his championship title in his 13 rematch with Riddick Bowe in 1993, and 14 WHEREAS, 1994 was a pivotal point in Evander's career, 15 losing his title to Michael Moorer and receiving a medical 16 misdiagnosis which cost him his boxing license, and 17 WHEREAS, however, Evander Holyfield's spirit, his 18 commitment to excellence, his sense of destiny, and his faith 19 in God allowed him to overcome these obstacles and return to 20 the sport of boxing in May 1995, winning a decision over Ray 21 Mercer, and 22 WHEREAS, at that time, only Muhammad Ali had won a 23 World Heavyweight Championship title three times, and 24 WHEREAS, on November 9, 1996, Evander Holyfield 25 defeated Mike Tyson and entered the history books once again 26 as only the second man in history to become a three-time World 27 Heavyweight Champion, and 28 WHEREAS, Evander Holyfield has carried his championship 29 drive and vision into all facets of his life, and 30 WHEREAS, from his humble beginnings in a Christian home 31 where honesty, courtesy, confidence, integrity, and faith in 3 CODING:Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. Florida House of Representatives - 1998 HR 9365 235-234-98 1 God were instilled in him, to his life today, Evander 2 Holyfield and his wife, Dr. Janice Holyfield, currently 3 instill these same values in their six children and in 4 children around the world, and 5 WHEREAS, this vision is perpetuated in the 6 establishment of the Evander Holyfield Foundation, a lasting 7 monument and vehicle through which Evander Holyfield supports 8 his charitable interests, and 9 WHEREAS, in addition, the Evander Holyfield Annual Golf 10 and Tennis Charity Outing has made major contributions to the 11 Boys and Girls Clubs of America, and 12 WHEREAS, Evander Holyfield also brings this same vision 13 and sense of destiny to his business endeavors, bringing him 14 tremendous success in financial circles, and 15 WHEREAS, Evander Holyfield's boxing success and 16 sponsorships annually make him one of the highest paid 17 athletes in the world, and 18 WHEREAS, his presence and associations with companies 19 such as Coca-Cola and others have spawned substantial gains in 20 revenue and market share, and 21 WHEREAS, in addition, through his many television and 22 personal appearances, Evander Holyfield has become one of the 23 10 most recognized persons in the world, NOW, THEREFORE, 24 25 Be It Resolved by the House of Representatives of the State of 26 Florida: 27 28 That the House of Representatives of the State of 29 Florida hereby recognizes and honors Evander Holyfield, 30 Heavyweight Champion of the World. 31 4 CODING:Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. Florida House of Representatives - 1998 HR 9365 235-234-98 1 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution 2 be presented to Evander Holyfield as a tangible token of the 3 sentiments expressed herein. 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 5 CODING:Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions..